Tony,

That makes a lot of sense to me. I stuck the word "supposedly" in my posting because I had doubts about the "accoustic shadow" also. I have also read accounts that some of Grant's own men felt that his actions, or lack thereof, were governed more by the contents of a bottle rather than the sounds, or lack therof, of a battle. I probably should stick "supposedly" in there also, as proof of that would be problematic.